Ammunition feeding system

ABSTRACT

An ammunition handling system has a housing for storing the main quantity of a belt of rounds of ammunition and a flexible guide for leading the belt from the housing to the gun, and having means at the forward end of the gun for retaining the belt therein when separated from the gun, and for locking onto the feeder of the gun, engaging the lead round of the belt into the feeder, and releasing the belt for feeding in a single manual operation of the gunner.

14 1 Jan. 29, 1974 2,401,762 6/1946 lrasek 89/34 AMMUNITION FEEDING SYSTEM [75] Inventors: Harold G. Sachleben, Sr., Camden,

Primary Examiner-Stephen C. Bentley Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Irving M. Freeman et al.

[57] ABSTRACT An ammunition handling system has a housing for storing the main quantity of a belt of rounds of ammunition and a flexible guide for leading the belt from the housing to the gun, and having means at the for- N.J.; Robert Pettinga, Shelburne, Vt.

[73] Assignee: General Electric Company [22] Filed: July 12, 1972 [21] Appl. No.1 270,991

52} us. 89/34, 193/25 AC 1 1 Int. F4ld 9/06 ward end of the g for retaining the be therein when separated from the gun, and for lockin g onto the [58] Field of Search 89/33 BB, 33 BC, 34; 193/25 AC; 206/3 feeder of the gun, engaging the lead round of the belt into the feeder, and releasing the belt for feeding in a single manual operation of the gunner.

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,719,147 7/1929 Tansley............. 89/33 BB 8 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures PATENIEU JAN 2 9 1974 SHEET 5 BF 6 AMMUNITION FEEDING SYSTEM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates generally to an ammunition handling system for a machine gun, and particularly to a system permitting concurrent engagement of the system to the gun, and engagement of the first round of ammunition in the feeder of the gun.

2. Description of the Prior Art The feeding of the ammunition to a machine gun by means of a cloth belt is shown at least as early as Feb. 22, 1876 in U.S. Pat. No. 173,75l issued to Fortune L. Bailey. The significant improvement since then has been the development of the metal link to provide a disintegrating belt. Conventionally, the supply of ammunition is carried into the field separate from the gun. When the gun is set up to fire, or when the initial supply of ammunition has been expended, the lead round of the belt must be interengaged with the feed mechanism of the gun. This conventionally results in a hiatus in the gunners/ ability to fire his gun.

RIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a system for feeding a machine gun, with a belt of rounds of ammunition, wherein the belt is supported by a flexible guide or chute, and both guide and belt are, by the same manual action of the gunner, secured to the gun for'firing.

A feature of this invention is the provision of an ammunition handling system having a'housing for storing the main quantity of a belt of rounds of ammunition and a flexible guide for leading the belt from the housing to the gun, and having means at the forward end of the gun for retaining the belt therein when separated from the gun, and for locking onto the feeder of the gun, engaging the lead round of the belt into the feeder, and releasing the belt for feeding in a single manual operation of the gunner.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING These and, other objects, features and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following specification thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the armament system including the machine gun and ammunition storage and feeding system;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the respective interlocking ends of the ammunition boxes.

FIG. 3 is an end view similar to FIG. 2, showing the respective ends of the ammunition belts fixed to the ends of the boxes;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the boxes of FIG. 3, showing the boxes and their respective belts in an intermediate stage of being interlocked;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the feeder of the gun of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view from below of the distal end of the ammunition storage system flexible guide which locks onto the feeder;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view from above of the distal end of the guide of FIG. 6

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 6 showing the leading end of the ammunition beltlocked in and to the guide of FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is a partial perspective view of the ammunition storage system cover, showing the depleted ammunition indicator; and

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the ammunition storage system showing the cover in its open position.

THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT An ammunition storage and feeding system embodying this invention is shown in FIG. 1 incorporated in an armament system having a machine gun 10 of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 152,889, filed June I4, 1971 by R. Pettinga et al. The machine gun has a side stripping feeder l2 incorporated therein whose feeder sprocket 13 is controlled by a cam operated positive clutch and brake (not visible) of the type shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,578,] 18 issued May I], 1971 to L.K. Wetzel.

The gun is mounted in a yoke 14 by a pair of pivot pins 16. A frame 18 is fixed to the side of the yoke, and

has a cover 20 fixed thereto. The frame has two spaced apart side walls 22 and 24, a bottom 26 integral therewith, and is adapted to hold two ammunition cans 28 and 30 therein. The cans may be slid in from the aft end and slid out the forward end of the frame; and may be secured in place by a forward latch arm 32, and an aft latch arm 34, both extending from a rod which is pivotally mountedto the wall 24. The cover 20 has an aft upper integral wall 36 at a relatively large included angle, and a forward upper integral wall 38 at a relative small included angle to provide a middle mutual vertical gap to receive the aft attachment fitting 40 of a flexible guide 42, which also has a forward fitting 44 for attachment to the feeder 12 of the gun. The guide may be covered by a cloth sleeve 45. The cover has a gunproximal side wall 46 which is integral with the frame and the upper walls 36 and 38, and has a gun-remote side wall 48 which is hinged at its top to the aft upperwall 36, and held down by a quick-release fastener, not shown, so that access to the interior of the cover may be obtained. A roller 50 is joumalled on a shaft 52 extending to and between the gun proximal wall and an intermediate wall 54 bounding the gap. The aft attachment fitting 40 is releasably secured to the sidewalls of the cover by a pair of quick-release catches 56.

The forward attachment fitting 44 includes a rectangular C-shaped channel 58 having an interior L-shaped bracket 60 to guide the case 62 of each round of ammunition 64, and a flat spacer 66 to guide the nose 68 of each round. A handle 70 has a longitudinal 90 extension 72 from which depend a pair of transversely spaced apart ears 74. Each ear has a transversely extending forward pin 76 and a transversely extending aft pin 78. Fixed to the channel '58 is .a transverse bracket 80 which has a pair of transversely spaced apart side plates 82. Each side plate 82 has an upstanding earportion 84 with a transversely extending pin 86, and a depending portion 88 with a forward, upper notch 90 and an aft, lower notch 92. A transverse plate 94 has a pair of transversely spaced apart, longitudinally and upwardly extending ears 96. The aft end of each ear 96 is pivoted to the forward end of the respective ear 74 on pin 76, and the forward end of each ear 96 is pivoted to the respective ear-portion 84 on pin 86 to form a toggle between the plate 94 and the handle extension 72. The plate 94 also has two transversely spaced apart teeth 98 and 100 which extend through respective apertures in the channel and the aft guide bracket into the enclosed volume of the C-shaped channel 58. When the handle 70 is swung up, the toggle is locked, and the teeth extend into the enclosed volume and are adapted to pass between the adjacent rounds of ammunition disposed within the fitting 44. When the handle is swung down, breaking the toggle, the teeth are withdrawn and the rounds are freed. A pair of transversely spaced apart levers 102 are respectively pivotally mounted at 104to each depending portion 88, and each has a respective slot 106 in which the respective pin 78 slides, and a respective notch 108. When the handle 70 is swung fully down, so that it is captured by a spring clip 110 mounted to the flexible guide, the levers 102 are swung so that the respective notches 108 and 92 overlap.

The feeder 12 has a first pair of longitudinally spaced apart, longitudinally extending pins 112, and a second pair, transversely spaced therefrom, of longitudinally spaced apart, longitudinally extending pins 113. When the forward attachment fitting 44 is locked onto the feeder 12, the pair of pins 112 are received into the pair of notches 90 respectively and the pair of pins 113 are received by the pair of notches 92 and captured by the pair of notches 108 respectively.

An aperture 114 isprovided in the aft upper wall 36, straddled by a pair of ears 115. A crank-shaped rod 1 16 is disposed through the aperture 114 and is pivoted to and between the ears 115 by a pin 117. The lower end of the rod 116 has a feeler-foot 118 and the upper end has-a signal-flag 120.

- Each of the ammunition cans and 28 is open topped and has two side walls 122, 124, a forward end wall 126, an aft end wall 128, and a bottom wall 130. The forward end wall 126 has a metal cup 126a riveted to it comprised of a pair of transversely spaced apart, longitudinally extending lugs 132, each with a respective upwardly directed notch 134. The metal cup 126a also has an upwardly extending tooth 136, and an L- shaped bracket .138 whose leg 140 extends longitudinally forward and whose foot 142 extends upwardly. The foot 142 has-a downwardly directed, stepped notch 144. A metal plate, 128e, is riveted to the aft wall and has a pair of transversely spaced apart, longitudinally extending lugs 146, each with a respective transversely outwardly directed pin 148, adapted to mate with the respective notch 134 on an adjacent lug. The plate 128a also has an upwardlyextending tooth 150, and an arm 152 having a pivot 1S4, transversely extending tooth 156, and a longitudinally extending handle 158 having an upper cam surface 160.

The belts of ammunition are formed by conventiona metal links each having two spaced apart loops 164 en- .circling the case of the preceding round of ammunition and a central loop 166 encircling the case of the succeeding round of ammunition. Each can of ammunition is loaded with a continuous belt of ammunition, in folded layers, with the end of the lowest layer being brought up adjacent the inside surface of the aft end wall 128 and over, with the tooth 150 passing between the second and third rounds from the end of the belt. The open single loop of the last link is held against the outside surface of the metal plate 128a by the tooth 156 of the pivoted arm 152. The leading end of the belt is broughtover the top of the metal cup 126a with the tooth 136 passing between fifth and six rounds of the belt. The second through fifth rounds hang downwardly adjacent the outer surface of the end wall 126 with thc first round R swung upwardly and adjacent the toe of the foot 142 and all within the bracket 138. To interlock the cans and their belts, the aft can is tilted and its notched lugs 132 are hooked onto the pinned lugs 146 of the forward can. As the aft can is swung downwardly about the pins 148, the corner 162 of the L-bracket 138 engages the surface 160 of the handle 158 and earns the arm 152 about its pivot 154 disengaging the tooth 156 from the single loop 166 of the link while the single loop 166 passes throughthe notch 144 of the L- bracket 138 and snaps over the round thereby interlocking the two belts.

The feeler-foot 118 of the signal rod 116 rests on the topmost layer of the ammunition belt of the aft can. As ammunition is drawn out of the aft can, the foot 118 is lowered, thereby raising the signal 120, thus indicating to the gunner the forward can is empty and that afresh can should be hooked on behind the present aft can. When this has been done, the latches 32 and 34 are released, and the cans are pushed forward until the empty can is unhooked.

During the initial loading of the ammunition storage system, the leading end of the belt of the forward can is brought aft, up-around the roller 50, and through the aft attachment fitting 40 of the flexible guide. The belt is led through the guide and out the forward attachment fitting 44. The handle is swung up to project the teeth 98 and 100 between the third and second rounds,thereby locking the belt to the fitting. The storage system may be carried in the field in this disposition, ready for attachment to the feeder of the gun. For attachment, the forward upper notches are fitted onto the pins 112 and the handle 70 is swung down so that the notches 92 and 108 are locked onto the pins 114. The first round of the belt will automatically be received by the sprocket of the feeder which is automatically oriented by the clutch/brake.

What is claimed is:

l. A system for storing a belt of rounds of ammunition and for feeding the belt to the feeder of a machine gun, comprising:

housing means for receiving and storing a belt of linked rounds of ammunition; and elongated ammunition guide means having an aft end coupled to said housing and a forward end for coupling to the feeder of 'a machine gun, said guide means having an interior passageway for guiding the passage of the belt of ammunition from said housing means to the feeder, said guide means including belt retention means disposed adjacent said forward end of said guide means for retaining the forward end of the belt of ammunition in projection from said forward end of said guide means; said belt retention means including movable tooth means having a first position wherein said tooth means projects into said interior passageway of said guide means for engagement between two adjacent rounds of the belt of ammunition, and a second position wherein said tooth means clears said interior passageway of said guide means, and feeder retention means coupled to said movable tooth means and having a first position wherein said guide means is unlocked from the feeder and a second position wherein said guide means is locked to the feeder. 2. A system according to claim i further including: actuation means coupled to said tooth means and to said feeder retention means for contemporaneously driving said tooth means and said feeder retention means to their respective first positions, and for contemporaneously driving said tooth means and said feeder retention means to their respective second positions. 3. A machine gun and ammunition handling system comprising:

a machine gun having a feeder;

said feeder for receiving a belt of rounds of ammunition; for stripping each round from the belt and for feeding the stripped round into the gun for chambering; housing means for receiving and storing a belt of rounds of ammunition; and elongated ammunition guide means having an aft end coupled to said housing and a forward end releasably coupled to said feeder, said guide means having an interior passageway for guiding the passage of the belt of ammunition from said housing means into said feeder, said guide means including belt retention means disposed adjacent said forward end of said guide means for retaining the forward end of the belt of ammunition in projection from said foreward end of said guide means; said belt retention means including movable tooth means having a first position wherein said tooth means projects into said interior passageway of said guide means for engagement between two adjacent rounds of the belt of ammunition, and a second position wherein said tooth means clears said interior passageway of said guide means, and feeder retention means coupled to said movable tooth means and having a first position wherein said guide means is unlocked from said feeder and a second position wherein said guide means is locked to said feeder. 4. A system according to claim 3 further including: actuation means coupled to said tooth means and to said feeder retention means for contemporaneously driving said tooth means and said feeder retention means to their respective first positions,

and for contemporaneously driving said tooth means and said feeder retention means to their respective second positions. 5. A system according to claim 4 wherein: said feeder has a plurality'of stationary meanspro' jecting therefrom; and said feeder retention means includes a respective plurality of annular means, each for interlocking with a respective stationary means. 6. A system according to claim 3 further including: a belt of rounds of ammunition disposed in part in said housing means, and in part in said guide means and retained in said guide means by said belt retention means. 7. A system for feeding a belt of rounds of ammunition to the feeder of a machine gun, comprising:

elongated ammunition guide means having an aft end for receiving a belt of rounds and a forward end for coupling to the feeder of a machine gun, said guide means having an interior passageway for guiding the passage of the belt of ammunition to the feeder, 7 said guide means including belt retention means disposed adjacent said forward end of said guide means for retaining the forward end of the belt of ammunition in projection from said forward end of said guide means; said belt retention means including movable tooth means having a first position wherein said tooth means projects into said interior passageway of said guide means for engagement between two adjacent rounds of the belt of ammunition and a second position wherein said tooth means clears said interior passageway of said guide means, and feeder retention means coupled to said movable tooth means and having a first position wherein said guide means is unlocked from the feeder and a second position wherein said guide means is locked to the feeder. 8. A system according to'claim 7 further including: actuation means coupled to said tooth means and to said feeder retention means for contemporaneously driving said tooth means and said feeder retention means to their respective first positions, and for contemporaneously driving said tooth means and said feeder retention means to their respective second positions. 

1. A system for storing a belt of rounds of ammunition and for feeding the belt to the feeder of a machine gun, comprising: housing means for receiving and storing a belt of linked rounds of ammunition; and elongated ammunition guide means having an aft end coupled to said housing and a forward end for coupling to the feeder of a machine gun, said guide means having an interior passageway for guiding the passage of the belt of ammunition from said housing means to the feeder, said guide means including belt retention means disposed adjacent said forward end of said guide means for retaining the forward end of the belt of ammunition in projection from said forward end of said guide means; said belt retention means including movable tooth means having a first position wherein said tooth means projects into said interior passageway of said guide means for engagement between two adjacent rounds of the belt of ammunition, and a second position wherein said tooth means clears said interior passageway of said guide means, and feeder retention means coupled to said movable tooth means and having a first position wherein said guide means is unlocked from the feeder and a second position wherein said guide means is locked to the feeder.
 2. A system according to claim 1 further including: actuation means coupled to said tooth means and to said feeder retention means for contemporaneously driving said tooth means and said feeder retention means to their respective first positions, and for contemporaneously driving said tooth means and said feeder retention means to their respective second positions.
 3. A machine gun and ammunition handling system comprising: a machine gun having a feeder; said feeder for receiving a belt of rounds of ammunition, for stripping each round from the belt and for feeding the stripped round into the gun for chambering; housing means for receiving and storing a belt of rounds of ammunition; and elongated ammunition guide means having an aft end coupled to said housing and a forward end releasably coupled to said feeder, said guide means having an interior passageway for guiding the passage of the belt of ammunition from said housing means into said feeder, said guide means including belt retention means disposed adjacent said forward end of said guide means for retaining the forward end of the belt of ammunition in projection from said foreward end of said guide means; said belt retention means including movable tooth means having a first position wherein said tooth means projects into said interior passageway of said guide means for engagement between two adjacent rounds of the belt of ammunition, and a second position wherein said tooth means clears said interior passageway of said guide means, and feeder retention means coupled to said movable tooth means and having a first position wherein said guide means is unlocked from said feeder and a second position wherein said guide means is locked to said feeder.
 4. A system according to claim 3 further including: actuation means coupled to said tooth means and to said feeder retention means for contemporaneously driving said tooth means and said feeder retention means to their respective first positions, and for contemporaneously driving said tooth means and said feeder retention means to their respective second positions.
 5. A system according to claim 4 wherein: said feeder has a plurality of stationary means projecting therefrom; and said feeder retention means includes a respective plurality of annular means, each for interlocking with a respective stationary means.
 6. A system according to claim 3 further including: a belt of rounds of ammunition disposed in part in said housing means, and in part in said guide means and retained in said guide means by said belt retention means.
 7. A system for feeding a belt of rounds of ammunition to the feeder of a machine gun, comprising: elongated ammunition guide means having an aft end for receiving a belt of rounds and a forward end for coupling to the feeder of a machine gun, said guide means having an interior passageway for guiding the passage of the belt of ammunition to the feeder, said guide means including belt retention means disposed adjacent said forward end of said guide means for retaining the forward end of the belt of ammunition in projection from said forward end of said guide means; said belt retention means including movable tooth means having a first position wherein said tooth means projects into said interior passageway of said guide means for engagement between two adjacent rounds of the belt of ammunition and a second position wherein said tooth means clears said interior passageway of said guide means, and feeder retention means coupled to said movable tooth means and having a first position wherein said guide means is unlocked from the feeder and a second position wherein said guide means is locked to the feeder.
 8. A system according to claim 7 further including: actuation means coupled to said tooth means and to said feeder retention means for contemporaneously driving said tooth means and said feeder retention means to their respective first positions, and for contemporaneously driving said tooth means and said feeder retention means to their respective second positions. 